Messiah

Norwich Theatre Royal
Firday 14 December 2008

Ely Cathedral
Thursday 18 December 2008

London St John’s Smith Square
Sunday 21 December 2008
Monday 22 December 2008
Tuesday 23 December 2008

Norwich Evening News
Eastern Daily Press
The Observer
Ely Cathedral Review
 
Norwich Evening News
Handel’s Messiah 
By Rob Garratt
Saturday 15 December 2008

One of the world’s most known Western choral pieces, Handel’s Messiah - based on a libretto by Rev Charles Jennes about the life, death and ascension of Christ - is something of a regular festive treat for many listeners.

Written for orchestra, choir and soloists, any performance of it relies on having a trio of talented teams - in this case the Britten Sinfonia collaborating with the chorus Polyphony.

Overall is was a polished, professional performance, and one can’t find fault with the soloists, the bass-baritone Andrew Foster-Williams bringing up the character and drama to the libretto through his sharp dictation in exactly the way Handel would have planned.

The tenor Allan Clayton had a lovely dynamic, expressive quality with a warm tone which again enhanced the drama, and I was particularly impressed by his ornamented sequences.

The soprano Julia Doyle had a lovely clear tone, with bright clear top notes, but with slightly less character than the tenor or bass-baritone.

One certainly can’t find fault with the performance of the Britten Sinfonia, at first though one would have been forgiven for feeling the 25-piece Polyphony too small to lend the music the majesty it required - but the power with which they projected the second and third part’s finales was heart-stopping and quashed any doubts.

Part II closes with the well-known “Hallelugah” refrain, such a popular melody it has become part of our cultural makeup, and the theatrical and acclaimed conductor Stephen Layton lead the audience to stand for it, breaking down the relationship between stage and audience.

Overall a highly-talented reading of a rousing and emotive Baroque masterpiece. May the Theatre Royal and the Britten Sinfonia continue to collaborate on such high-quality productions.

Britten Sinfonia and Polyphony - Handel’s Messiah
By Christopher Smith
16 December 2008

The sound of a great Amen drew cheers from a large audience. First a handful of basses had sung the word quietly. Next the tenors came in a little louder, to be followed by upper voices. Then the instrumentalists had their turn. Finally all joined together, weaving complex patterns of ordered sound that culminated in resonant harmony.

It was a fitting conclusion to the refreshing interpretation of the best known of oratorios in which Stephen Layton followed historic practice while using modern instruments with the Britten Sinfonia.

Bass baritone Andrew Foster-Williams was furious in rebuke and authoritative in proclaiming the resurrection of the dead. Allan Clayton was a suave tenor, Iestyn Davies an agile counter tenor, but the soprano, Julia Doyle, did not make the best of her long phrases. Adding vocal ornamentation in 18th century style, the soloists were especially adventurous in the final bars of the arias. Polyphony, a chorus of 25, had the flexibility to bring intensity to quieter passages and never tripped when keeping up with the conductor’s brisk speed.

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The Observer
Christmas Oratorio/ Spitalfields Winter Festival
Fiona Maddocks 
Sunday 28 December 2008

The other great choral work of the season, dating from the same period but far more famous, is Handel’s Messiah. As an absorbing new exhibition, Hallelujah! The British Choral Tradition at Oxford’s Bodleian Library, reminds us, Messiah’s box-office popularity was established by the growth of choral societies in the Industrial Revolution.

The 2,700 who sang it at the 1859 Handel Festival at Crystal Palace were certainly more rough and ready than the 30 impeccable voices of Polyphony, who performed it in Norwich, Ely and London, conducted by Stephen Layton and accompanied by the versatile Britten Sinfonia.

With musicianship of this standard, any reservations come down to taste. “And he shall purify,” sounded sweet, almost floral. Yet “purify” here conjures the divine wrath of God, when “like a refiner’s fire” he burns off the dross of Israel’s soul. Polyphony’s brilliant sheen, and the soloists’ embellishments, too often won out over urgent, human communication, not helped by the chorus burying their heads in their books, even in the famous bits.

Those Victorian massed voices must have taken hours to grind through the work, earning few points for finesse. But I’ll bet they knew their Hallelujah Chorus off by heart. Next year, the 250th anniversary of Handel’s death, offers ample opportunities to put that right.

 

Local Review
Ely Cathedral - Messiah
21st December 2008
Dr. R.J.Westwell  (PhD, MA TESOL, MA Ed, B Mus, BA Hons)

Ely Cathedral was packed: the atmosphere expectant. The audience knew it was about to have a unique experience. 

Handel’s “Messiah” has been done to death by many but in the hands of Stephen Layton, Polyphony and Britten Sinfonia this familiar work was positively reborn. With an endearing fluidity of style, Stephen Layton inspired genuine understanding of Handel’s intentions and the story of The Messiah was told with rare sensitivity, cohesion and heightened expression.
Polyphony, a choir of less than thirty singers, focused on the text, infusing emotion and drama into the messages. With penetrating and potent tone, the parts gelled into firm, powerful chords or flowed separately to create spellbinding fabrics. The power of “And the glory of the Lord”, the joyful lightheartedness of “For unto us a child is born” and the precise declamation in “Glory to God” were only a few examples of the choir’s impressive ability. Meticulous entries, emotive colouring and breathtaking impact were all features of these fine singers – features that were mirrored exactly by Britten Sinfonia. From the broad restraint of the meaningful dotted notes of the opening to the impressive detail and vibrant counterpoint within their performance, these instrumentalists infused the music with arresting vitality. 

The soloists were also excellent. Julie Doyle (soprano) caught the spirit of the style exactly with her light, agile and arousing tones. Michael Chance (countertenor) sang with an exquisite insightful ease of line. Allan Clayton (tenor) added refreshing exhilaration to his words and the power and darkness Andrew Foster-Williams (bass-baritone) produced was phenomenal.
The whole work was presented as one very moving and unified event. The final “Amen” brought the concert to a climactic conclusion with an amazing and unforgettable tapestry of sound.  The audience was mesmerized.

 

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